James Wharton: Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker, for the opportunity to address the House for the first time. It is a nerve-racking moment, made all the more so by following the excellent contributions from hon. Members throughout the debate, with constituencies ranging from Central Devon to Pendle, and Hastings and Rye to Rossendale and Darwen. I am therefore grateful for the courtesies that the House...
James Wharton: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what timetable has been set for the establishment of the Green Investment Bank; and what recent progress has been made on implementing that proposal.
James Wharton: I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for giving way. I also note with interest that he is perhaps the first hon. Member in the history of this House to brandish his middle finger at Mr Speaker and to receive no reprimand for it. The hon. Gentleman has acknowledged that the hospital's location between two communities is somewhat controversial locally. The representations that I have received...
James Wharton: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will meet business representatives for Teesside to discuss the possible location of the Green Investment Bank in that area.
James Wharton: The Prime Minister will be aware that former Para and Teessider, Anthony Malone, has languished in an Afghan jail for more than two years and is still being held in lieu of payment of an outstanding debt. Given that his imprisonment is potentially in breach of international law, will the Prime Minister put pressure on the Afghan Government to secure Mr Malone's release?
James Wharton: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what plans he has for the long-term future of the Grant for Business Investment Scheme.
James Wharton: I welcome the statement by my hon. Friend. Does he agree that it is striking that the independent experts who will lend their expertise to the OTS are doing so without being paid, and does that not contrast starkly with the millions spent on ineffective quangos by Labour?
James Wharton: I would like to echo my hon. Friend's comments about interest rates, but also add that low interest rates have a beneficial impact not only on our economy and businesses, but on the very individuals and families whom the right hon. Member for Birmingham, Hodge Hill (Mr Byrne) talked so much about. The most disadvantaged in our society will benefit most from the positive outcomes of the...
James Wharton: Does my hon. Friend genuinely believe that those MYPs who have stayed up to watch the debate tonight will be amazed by the proceedings, the quality of the debate, and how we spend time to debate such motions when other important matters of the day go by undebated here, or are given rather less time and significantly less attention?
James Wharton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what safeguards he plans to put in place to prevent inappropriate groups from being approved to manage the proposed free schools; and if he will make a statement.
James Wharton: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether he plans to require energy companies to display on customers' bills the proportion of the total cost used to subsidise renewable energy generation.
James Wharton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he plans to undertake a trial of an accelerated development zone.
James Wharton: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (1) what proportion of the grants made by or organised through One NorthEast went to organisations in (a) the public sector and (b) the private sector in each of the last five years; (2) how much organisations in (a) the Tees Valley, (b) Tyneside and (c) Northumberland received in grants through One NorthEast in each of...
James Wharton: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will hold discussions to seek to ensure that all local government services in the Tees Valley sub-region identify themselves with reference to a single identity.
James Wharton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) how much has been spent on clearing debris from the River (a) Tees, (b) the Tyne and (c) the Wear in each of the last five years; (2) what responsibility the Environment Agency has for the clearance of debris from the River Tees; which other (a) parts of her Department and (b) bodies sponsored by her Department...
James Wharton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will bring forward proposals to designate the Tees Valley as an accelerated development zone.
James Wharton: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much One NorthEast spent in (a) the Tees Valley, (b) Tyne and Wear, (c) Northumberland and (d) County Durham in each year since its establishment.
James Wharton: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many employees of One NorthEast are resident in (a) the Tees Valley and (b) Tyne and Wear.
James Wharton: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the (a) administrative and (b) overhead costs of each regional development agency were in each year since 2005.
James Wharton: I should just like to have it recorded in Hansard as a point of important note that while we are talking about the people who are the most disadvantaged by the charges that are so often levied in hospital car parks, not a single Opposition Member is here to hear the debate. I hope my hon. Friend agrees that that is an important point that should be recorded and registered.